


Broken

by cinelitchick



Category: Timeless (TV 2016)
Genre: Action, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Humor, Post-Season/Series 02 AU, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-15
Updated: 2018-10-19
Packaged: 2019-08-02 16:17:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16308548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cinelitchick/pseuds/cinelitchick
Summary: A trip to New York City with the team may be just what Lucy and Flynn need to kickstart their nascent relationship. But can two people as "broken" as them have a shot a true love?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for the Garcy Playlist Challenge. It ended up being bigger than I had originally envisioned, but I just listened to Lucy and Flynn -- so I blame them. XD Thanks to Gotta_Love_Garcy for creating this fun writing exercise and tagging me!

Darkness engulfed him. The music faded to a dull roar. It was welcome this feeling of nothingness. 

He was getting better at this; at letting the world evaporate. It took some practice. He had been honing his skills for a few months now. No sensory deprivation tank meant he had to get creative. It was fun. This he enjoyed. The solitude was nice. 

It was nice because he knew it wouldn’t last. It never did. 

She wouldn’t let it. 

As if on cue, he feels her skin touch his; her hand close around his own. 

“Lucy,” he breathed. 

Lucy Preston always brought him back. No matter where or when he was located, she guided him away from everything else and toward her. She was his lifeline. She had been even before she was aware of it. Or maybe a part of her always had been aware. He couldn’t be sure. 

“Garcia,” she said softly. “Don’t leave me here with these people. They’re insane. They think mixing Pepsi and Pop Rocks is a joke.” 

A loud laugh emanated from deep within him. He opened his eyes to see hers boring into him with an intensity and sweetness only she could manage. “I would never leave you, Lucy. I would sooner take you with me.” 

She didn’t take her eyes off him. Garcia Flynn was a puzzle she had mostly figured out, but there were pieces she couldn’t quite work out where they fit. Not that she cared. It’s what made him fascinating and unique. Maybe other people felt this way about those they had deep feelings for or whatever.  

 _Seriously, Lucy?_ she scolded herself. _You like him. You like_ _like_ _him. More than that, you love him. Or at least are on the precipice of love. Don’t hide your feelings from yourself. Even if you don’t share them with him. Which you totally should, by the way. God, look how he’s looking at you. Oh wow. What are you, Garcia Flynn? How are you able to make me feel this way? How are you able to look at me with such_ ** _feeling_** _?_  

Lucy suddenly took his face in both her hands. “‘I like that you’re broken; broken like me. I can be broken with you.’” 

The mood between them changed; the air more charged. 

“Is that— Is that you or the song?” Flynn’s voice was thick with want. 

“Both,” she replied. “It was playing when I came to find you.” A pause. “I mean every word.” 

“The roof.” 

“What?” 

“I want to be high up under a night sky with you, Lucy. Yes?” 

 _“Yes._ ”  

A second later she broke out into a wide grin that made him weak. He matched hers and she felt herself sway slightly. Before she knew it, he had her hand in his once more and was pulling her down the hallway. Away from the bathroom, where she had found him, out the front door and toward the stairwell with roof access. 

   
 

They had been in New York City with the rest of the team for a week. Homeland Security Agent Denise Christopher (who was the de facto team mom) agreed they needed a vacation of sorts. The emphasis on “of sorts.” It was a Rittenhouse lead that had led the team to the Big Apple. Present Day. No Lifeboat. No period costumes. All seven of them -- Lucy, Flynn, Wyatt Logan, Rufus Carlin, Jiya, Denise and Connor Mason -- got aboard a flight to the East Coast and stepped onto the tarmac at John F. Kennedy International Airport a few hours later. 

The lead had ended up being a bust. There was no one from Rittenhouse in the city as far as they could tell. They had spent the better part of four days tracking down one false clue after the other; all stemming from that initial lead. Wyatt had suggested it was a trick to get them out of California, but all was quiet there, too.  

It was as if Rittenhouse had closed up shop and went on holiday itself. For a vast conspiracy operation that had stolen Connor’s state-of-the-art Mothership (leaving the team with the old-school original model, dubbed the Lifeboat) to travel through time “fixing” what it saw as errors in history to create a world it deemed worthy, this was beyond alarming. Rufus was the first to vocalize what they were all thinking: “It’s too quiet. Rittenhouse is up to something and it’s big.” 

“Unless that’s what they want us to think,” Jiya piped up. “They’ve been dark ever since we got Rufus back. Maybe they don’t have anything. Maybe they don’t know what their next move is. Emma isn’t stupid. She wouldn’t waste valuable resources unless she had a plan. I say she doesn’t.” 

Emma Whitmore was Team Lifeboat until she had revealed herself as a sleeper agent for Rittenhouse. She was one of time machine’s first test pilots, as well as an employee of Connor’s former company, Mason Industries. Ruthless and deadly, there’s a bit of the Terminator to her (not literally — although no one would be surprised if that turned out to be true). She had killed Lucy’s mom, Carol, in 1888 not long before ending Rufus during that same trip.  

Not willing to let Rufus’ death stand, the gang fought like hell to get him back. It took time and perseverance — a lot of it — but in the end they won. Now with Emma seemingly in charge of Rittenhouse, the balance of life as they knew it was more precarious than ever. This was why the organization going to ground had everyone on edge. 

“It makes sense,” Denise agreed. “She’s never been shy at taking direct aim when she only had the thinnest of reasons. And that’s when she was just a lackey. Now that’s she running the whole shebang?” She shook her head. “I’m with Jiya. Emma wouldn’t strike without a plan. She’s hiding.” 

“So now what?” Connor asked. “We can’t just stay here in New York. Can we?” 

The gang looked at each other. No one had a reason why they should take the first flight back to the West Coast. Nothing was happening … well, anywhere. 

“Why not?” Wyatt asked. “After all the shit we’ve done and have been through since we first came together, why shouldn’t we get a few days of peace and quiet in one of the best cities in the world?”  

He was the last person to run from a fight, especially when his wife and unborn child were playing for the wrong team. Jessica (or at a least this version; the Jessica from the original timeline had been murdered leaving Wyatt consumed with guilt) infiltrated the gang rather easily thanks to her husband. His joy at getting a second chance with the love of his life had clouded his judgement. By the time her duplicity had been revealed, as well as her ties to Rittenhouse, it was too late. However, this didn’t mean she had been faking her feelings for Wyatt. After all that and temporarily losing Rufus, Wyatt needed a time out. 

They were gathered in one of the hotel rooms that were paid for via less than optimal means. To say Jiya and Rufus moved around some cash from some people who wouldn’t miss it isn’t wrong. Plus these patrons were known for their ties to Rittenhouse, so as Rufus announced to Denise when she initially balked at their actions: “They have it coming.” 

Everyone was sharing except for Flynn. Wyatt rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath when the card sharp beat him fair and square in a game of Blackjack for the pleasure of his own private quarters. He sighed when he saw Flynn and Lucy exchange glances and smiles afterward. “Of course,” he said. 

Despite his love for his wife and the complications that brings, there is still a part of him that has feelings for Lucy. They were briefly together when Jessica resurfaced. On top of this was Lucy’s burgeoning friendship with Flynn. Wyatt never liked their one-time enemy, though he could now see the man had his qualities. He viewed him now more as a frenemy than a friend, but even that was a huge leap forward. Flynn seemed to truly care about Lucy and it was obvious to everyone she was smitten with him. Even Wyatt couldn’t deny their chemistry was palpable.  

So Denise and Lucy paired up; as did Wyatt and Connor; and Rufus and Jiya. No one complained of the arrangements once they were all settled. 

   
 

Lucy and Flynn burst onto the roof of the apartment building in Brooklyn. It was well lit with furniture scattered across the expanse and a bar on the other side of the door. The party in the loft below was still going strong as the reverb from the music could be heard even two flights up and outside. It didn’t help there was a balcony just below them to let out the cacophony as the double doors sat open. The invitation had been extended as gratitude by a young woman named Callie, who had a very healthy bank account from the looks of her two-floor loft. As it turned out, her family owned the building.  

Callie had been walking along a sidewalk near Bleeker Street earlier that day with her girlfriend, who had stopped just short of the corner to take a phone call. Standing on the street not a few steps from the curb, Callie was hailing a taxi when one nearly ran her down in its effort to get to her. Lucy and Flynn had been coming up a side street behind her when Lucy sprinted out ahead of him, grabbing Callie and pulling her down onto the cement of the sidewalk. They had landed right at the girlfriend’s feet. 

To her credit, Jenna (Lucy later learned her name when Callie introduced her and Flynn to the woman) ended her call and was immediately at Callie’s side. Jenna held a sobbing and hysterical Callie, who was absolutely fine physically. Both women screamed at the cabbie using words than even made Flynn blush. The driver took off, following the women’s rather colorful declarations that he do so. 

Not long after, the rest of the team had shown up after the incident went viral. There was literally six minutes between the near-collision and the gang’s arrival. Lucy barely noticed, she was too focused on Callie, Jenna and Flynn. The women invited Lucy and Flynn to a gathering they were hosting that night. Callie implored Lucy to accept. She wanted to pay her back for her bravery, which Lucy waved off. However, the party was a nice idea. The thought of spending more time with Flynn alone — away from the team — was too perfect. So she accepted. 

And then Wyatt and Rufus asked if there was room for Lucy’s friends. Her heart sank into her stomach, which threatened to rip itself in half. Callie and Jenna were looking to her for final say as they were fine with it. One look at her friends’ faces and Lucy knew she was screwed. So she said yes and here they were. 

Lucy and Flynn were still holding hands as they stood in the center of the roof, their heads tilted back as they looked up at the night sky.  

“I was really hoping to see some stars,” Lucy lamented, shivering slightly. The cool, late fall air was welcome after the somewhat stuffy loft. She was happy she was wearing her nice, new sweater instead of the sexy blouse she had been considering changing into. As for the view, it was a bit overcast. There was just enough cloud cover to block any celestial light. 

“We’ll rent a car and go upstate for a few days,” Flynn said. The crisp air didn’t bother him. He saw Lucy shiver, but he hesitated to do anything about it. She didn’t seem to expect it, so he let the thought go. “Large open spaces alongside small towns. When night falls, maybe there will be stars as far as the eye can see.” He looked down at her, a wistful look on his face. 

Her eyes drifted over to his and she smiled. “I’m so in. Promise me we’re going to do that.” 

The wistful appearance evaporated into a content smile. “Promise.” 

She returned her attention to the heavens above and their inky blackness that wasn’t nearly dark nor rich enough to satisfy her. However, there was someone next to her who fit the bill. “Why is it so easy with you, Garcia?” 

“Easy?!” he scoffed, his eyes still locked on her. “Have you been paying attention?” 

To say their relationship had evolved since they first met was an understatement. It all started with a diary. Flynn had showed it to Lucy when they were presumably on opposite sides. The catch? It was written and given to him by her future self. Over time and many run-ins with some not-so-desirable results, a bond of sorts was forged. She was the only member of the time team he trusted implicitly and eventually she began returning that trust. The rest of the group was still on the fence, but most of them were slowly coming around 

Finally, she turned so she was looking only at him. “Why do you have to be such a spoilsport?” she said, punching him in the chest. “I’m trying to have a moment here!” 

“My apologies,” he said solemnly, though he knew she wasn’t truly angry. Annoyed, yes. Lucy lived to be annoyed because it let loose her snarky side. He knew her well enough to know she tried to keep that side of her locked down, but sometimes that piece of her was just itching to get out. Personally, he would love it if she let it out permanently. 

With Flynn, Lucy knew she didn’t have to hide anything. She could open up her own personal Pandora’s closet and he would be right there by her side. She thought about that song again; the one from earlier. _That song is so us_ , she thought. 

“Maybe it’s easy because we’re both broken, like you said,” Flynn responded, answering her question. “For us, ‘life is not a love song that we like; we're all broken pieces floating by; life is not a love song, we can try; to fix our broken pieces one at a time.’” 

“ _Now_ ** _you’re_** _quoting the song?_ ” 

He shrugged. “It’s a good song.” A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. “It also happens to be true. We lost our families to this war, Lucy. We weren’t broken when we found each other, we were nearing disintegration. Me with future you in Cuba; you with me when you first joined the Lifeboat. We were repelled by each other yet something kept drawing us back in.” 

Flynn’s wife Lorena and daughter Iris were murdered by Rittenhouse when he chose to speak out against them after learning the organization was funding the creation of time machines. A former agent with the National Security Agency, he only had just managed to survive the assault on his home that resulted in their deaths. Lucy’s sister, Amy, was erased from their original timeline — also courtesy of Rittenhouse and with the full cooperation of mom Carol. The Preston women were once considered Rittenhouse legacies due to the Preston family’s long involvement with the group. 

“Two wounded, lonely souls recognizing the flicker of light inside the other, hoping its heat will heal … or burn us alive,” Lucy said. 

Flynn took her chin between his thumb and forefinger. “I’m tired, Lucy. My confidence with you is finally starting to take a hit.” 

“It was supposed to be just us here tonight.” The words flew out of her mouth and she was glad she didn’t want to stop them. She sent a silent word of thanks to her brain. “I wanted you and me to attend the nice trust fund baby’s party tonight. It wasn’t supposed to be the entire Scooby gang.” 

“Wait.” Flynn shook his head as he tried to understand what she was saying. “You encouraged them when they invited themselves along. I thought you didn’t want to be alone with me in public … or worse, just weren’t interested. I was beginning to think I misread _every sign_ from the past few months.” 

He didn't like feeling so uncertain about where he stood with her. Mostly he didn't trust that this seed they had planted together would blossom into something wonderful. As much as he wanted them to be together, part of him still thought it was a pipe dream. 

Lucy’s eyes grew wide and her mouth fell open. “NO! Nononononono.” She grabbed his hand and dragged him back to the access door. 

“Lucy! We don’t have to go back to the party. I know you don’t want to be there.” 

She stopped, never releasing his hand. Slowly, she turned round to face him. “I want to be anywhere you are.” 

His mouth was suddenly dry. His breath hitched. Tears pricked his lashes. Words failed him. He had nothing to offer this moment. This beautiful, unexpected moment he never really thought would happen. 

“Do you know why we’re here at this party in a loft in Brooklyn?” she asked quietly. 

He shook his head. 

“Because after I pulled that girl away from the taxi that was hurling toward her this afternoon, the first thing she did after thanking me profusely was turn to her girlfriend and tell her she loved her. It was the first time she had admitted it. She apologized for it taking a near-death experience to get her to say it and vowed to tell her every day how much she loved her and appreciated her for the rest of their lives.” 

Lucy paused to collect herself, but then realized it was pointless. She wanted to be emotional in front of Flynn. She wanted to lose herself in the moment with him, whether it was one of honesty or passion or pain. This was her. The woman she knew he loved with all of his soul. 

“I wanted that moment with you _without_ the near-death angle. We have been through so much over the years and timelines. I wanted none of that to interfere with a moment that is pure and true. So when she invited us to her party tonight, I said, ‘Yes.’  

“I thought if nothing else, it would be nice to be just us with people who don’t have any preconceptions. I would be glued to your side because I never get to be. We would dance whenever a slow song came on and wrap ourselves around each other.” She sighed. “We’re both tired of this back and forth. We’re on this roof, just the two of us under a beautiful sky and instead of enjoying it together…. 

“I love you, Garcia Flynn. I have for awhile now. Longer than I was willing to admit, but no more. I’m standing before you, saying it loud and proud: _I love you._ ” 

“I love you, Lucy Preston.” Flynn had found his words. They were the five most perfect words he could had ever thought to have said. 

“Finally,” Lucy breathed. “Can I kiss you now?” 

He nodded slightly, leaning in till her lips caught his. They remained that way for as long as the oxygen lasted. Their lips slipping away only to find themselves again. She slid her tongue into his mouth, exploring it fully for the first time and feeling a bit like Neil Armstrong. Now she had taken her first step, she wanted the giant leap. By the way he was making his way round her mouth, Lucy expected Flynn felt the same.


	2. Chapter 2

The team had arrived at the party en masse. It was located on the twenty-eighth and twenty-ninth floors of a thirty-floor building, which housed twenty-eight lofts. Each floor contained one loft with two exceptions: the first floor, which was where the leasing and management offices were located; and the two floors where the party was going full force (aka Callie and Jenna’s place).

Three taxis deposited the seven members outside roughly a half-hour after the event started. Wyatt, Denise and Connor exited the first taxi, followed by Jiya and Rufus, and finally Lucy and Flynn. All but two were in good spirits.

Flynn had been introverted after the incident with Callie. Or more to the point, after their date had been hijacked by the Scoobies. Lucy couldn’t blame him for pulling away; she was doing the same thing with their friends. All she wanted to do was set things right with him, but Jiya was texting to ask if she was okay and Denise was knocking on the connecting door to see if Lucy and Flynn wanted to hang out with everyone before dinner and the party.

Lucy had texted Jiya back to say she was fine and to thank her for her concern. She then politely declined Denise’s offer, admitting she and Flynn were just gonna chill in his room. They would catch up with them later, she added. After she shut and locked the door, Lucy turned to face Flynn, who was standing between the bed and the main door to the room. He was ready to walk out, but was hesitating. 

“Hey, you,” she said as she walked over to him and placed her hands on his chest, leaning into him. 

He gave her a small smile, but it faded quickly. “Hey.”

“I was thinking of resting on the bed for a few hours.” She was trying hard not to read too much into the fact his arms hung by his sides instead of around her waist, where at least one of them had resided all day until the incident. “Care to join me? A little relaxation before our night out would be nice.”

He considered it. It wasn’t her fault the gang bounded into their business like a bunch of labrador puppies. A smile flitted across his lips as he thought of laying down with Lucy in his arms for a few hours. The offer was too good to pass up. “I would love nothing more.”

The smile that spread across her face radiated so much joy Lucy thought she would burst. Flynn briefly considered putting on his sunglasses, but thought it too cheesy a move even for him. Besides, he loved basking in Lucy’s glow.

She led him to the bed and climbed onto the mattress, kicking off her shoes before laying down on her back. He followed suit and stretched out beside her. 

Lucy let out a sigh that was filled with so many different emotions, she wasn’t sure what _wasn’t_ included. Her smile was still in place, so she figured it was all the good things and none of the bad.

“What was that for?” Flynn asked with a note of humor.

“I’m happy,” she replied. She turned her head to the right to look at his gorgeous mug. The smile growing as a lock of his dark hair fell across his brow. “This is exactly what I want to be doing in this big, beautiful city right now and I’m doing it with the one person I want … to be doing it with.”

“Nice save,” he said, a grin of his own beginning to quirk.

“I’m getting there,” she said bashfully.

“No pressure,” he said sincerely. “And I echo your sentiments exactly.”

Lucy’s eyes brightened and widened. “You do? Good.”

Now that she was resting, her entire body was responding in kind. She didn’t want to move and could feel her brain going into sleep mode.

“You’re not going to last much longer,” he observed.

She shook her head. “Would you mind holding me?”

“Never.” Flynn knew Lucy would never be presumptuous — at least not in this phase of their relationship. He looked forward to the days when she would just scoot herself toward him and press her back against his chest without question. 

She did just that now. Pressed against him as he lay on his left side, she could feel he was semi-aroused. Her heart fluttered at this, but now was not about _that._ She was too tired and besides, that was not going to happen with their friends in the next room. When Lucy finally had Flynn, it was going to be with no one else around and where they could be as loud as they want. Why yes, she had thought about this before. Thank you for asking.

Flynn wrapped his arms her and buried his face in her neck, just where it met her right shoulder. Lucy moaned softly; she couldn’t help it. She fell asleep shortly after. He lasted longer, but eventually succumbed to a dreamless sleep.

They awoke a few hours later. It was dark outside and a quick look at his phone told Flynn it was almost seven. He turned on the lamp next to his side of the bed, which cast the room in a dull glow that was pleasant but not too obtrusive. Lucy drowsily sat up with a disgruntled look on her face. He laughed when he saw it. The sound of his laughter made her smile. 

Then both of their phones started going off: sounds of ringtones and text alerts filled the room. Everyone had been leaving text messages for the past two-and-a-half hours and now they were calling them directly. Lucy picked up her phone to throw it, but Flynn caught her by the wrist halfway through her pitching motion. She glanced at him warily, but he shook his head. Shoulders sagging, she relented and answered.

Jiya wanted to know where they were, since the gang was climbing into taxis and heading to Brooklyn for Callie and Jenna’s party. Lucy sighed internally. She felt a hand on her back and turned her head to smile at Flynn. “We’ll meet you there. … Yeah, we have the address. … Yeah, we’re sure. … Jiya … Jiya … JIYA!” Lucy let out a slow exhale. “The longer you keep me on the phone, the longer we’ll be getting there. … Okay, bye!”

Lucy fell back onto the bed and threw her phone, which Flynn only just managed to catch. “You should’ve let it hit the wall.” She groaned.

“Go freshen up,” he told her.

There was a quietness to his voice she didn’t like, but she did as he instructed. Ten minutes later, she was ready. He didn’t say much in the elevator or in the cab. His hand, however, held hers with their fingers interlocked. She had been hoping their time alone together in his hotel room would have helped his mood. Her eyes never left his profile as they crossed into Brooklyn. He eventually glanced at her and gave her that same small smile from the room.

“We can blow this off,” she told him encouragingly. “Brooklyn is a great place. We can just go exploring … get some food because you gotta be hungry….”

“The girls will be disappointed,” he said somewhat sadly. “And your squad will assume I kidnapped you and sold you to Emma for diamonds and a cache of weapons.” There was a touch of his trademark sarcasm in play.

“Well who could blame you? That’s an excellent deal. I’m rather proud I managed to fetch such a handsome sum.” A mischievous grin formed; the glow of the streetlights dancing on her brown irises.

Flynn was smiling and leaning in when the cab came to an abrupt stop, much to the cheers outside. “Well that was quick.”

Lucy had never wanted to be friendless so much in her entire life.

She squeezed his hand and tried to implore with a look how much she was _not_ in the mood for this right now when the rear passenger side door flew open. 

Rufus and Jiya stuck their heads in with huge smiles plastered on their faces. “Who’s ready to _par-TAY?!_ ” Rufus asked. Jiya laughed and together they pulled Lucy out of the taxi. Flynn let himself out on the driver’s side after paying the fare.

Upstairs, the team was enveloped by Cassie and Jenna as soon as they walked through the front door. The music was pulsing. The crowd was plentiful. The booze was flowing. They lost track of each other. 

Lucy spotted Flynn on occasion; but every time she tried to make her way to him, someone she knew would pull her away. She managed to find the food and filled her plate so as to avoid the alcohol as much as possible. If anything, their time in New York had proven to her just how much she cared for Flynn. The whole like/love debate raged inside of her; in truth, there was just her fear of being rejected trying to outscream her head and her heart.

By the time she finally found him an hour later in the hallway by the first-floor bathroom, far away from the rest of gathering, she had her answer. He was worth any potential heartache.

_I could be broken with you._

   


On the rooftop under the swirling night sky, Lucy and Flynn held each other. This was it: their true beginning. No more back-and-forth or mixed messages or inhibitions. They finally belonged to each other. Lucy pulled back enough to look at Flynn’s face, filled with love and adoration. She smiled. He smiled back. As he gazed into her eyes, he saw the same emotions flit across her features as they did his.

“My pulse is racing,” she admitted. “And I can’t stop smiling. What is _wrong_ with me?”

He laughed; great, big and booming, the sound of it filled and lifted her heart. “ _What’s wrong with both of us?_ I have the same symptoms as you.”

This made her laugh. “So what now? Wait. Are we labeling this?” She gestured between the two of them.

“If you want. I have no objections to saying we’re dating.”

“Oh I’m _totally_ going to tell everyone who doesn’t ask that we’re exclusive.”

Flynn chuckled and bowed his head momentarily, a beaming grin on his lips when he raised his head next.

“No, I’m mean are you my boyfriend? My partner?”

“Yes.”

“Which one?”

“Either. Both. Just claim me as I claim you.”

She considered his last statement for a moment, then cleared her head. She was so looking forward to later. 

“We _are_ both, aren’t we?” She hadn’t considered it till just now.

“We are.” A pause. “Boyfriend/girlfriend.”

“You know it. I got me a hottie.” She raised her eyebrows, a smirk also in play.

“Same.”

She laughed. Then she grabbed him by the neck and pulled him into a kiss. When they parted, she repeated her question: “So what now, Mr. Flynn?”

“Road trip?” He didn’t have to think of a response. His offer still stood.

“Upstate? Just us?” She was already wondering if they could get down to the street without alerting the team to their absconding. 

“If they come, I’m out.” The deadpan expression on his face made Lucy bite her lower lip to keep from laughing.

She collected herself before responding: “If they come, we’ll Butch and Sundance off the balcony downstairs. End that party with a _splat_.”

The grin was back. “We should say goodbye to Callie and Jenna.”

“ _Just Callie and Jenna._ ” They were on the same page.

They rejoined the party. After a few minutes, the women found them.  Wearing their coats, Lucy and Flynn confessed they were heading out. Callie and Jenna were disappointed, but understanding. The two couples said their goodbyes and wished each other the best of luck. Callie thanked Lucy for her heroics one last time. Lucy graciously accepted before giving her a squeeze. Jenna shook hands with Flynn, then embraced Lucy. Callie took Flynn in her arms for a big hug. A minute later, Lucy and Flynn were standing in front of the elevator. They had just stepped inside when they heard Denise call out to them. The door shut before she could reach them.

“I feel bad,” Lucy admitted as the elevator descended.

“That _was_ rude. We’ll write her an apology note and include it with the room keys when we leave them in your room.” It was a cowardly thing to do, but Flynn reasoned it was better than having Denise corner them both later when they were trapped in the Bunker once more.

The Bunker was the team’s underground residence. A decommissioned missile command center for the Department of Defense, Denise managed to secure their sweet digs after Mason Industries was destroyed. It’s not a villa in the south of France, but it was their home for the foreseeable future. And despite the concrete interior, it was a sanctuary.

“We acknowledge the truth, then beg for forgiveness. I’m good with that.”

They never tore their eyes away from the elevator doors until after they exited the car. Grabbing a taxi, they went back into Manhattan and the hotel. Inside his room for the last time, Lucy wrote the letter to Denise which both she and Flynn signed. They packed up what few things they had out in both rooms — mostly toiletries and a couple books. Before they left, Flynn went online and managed to find a car rental place that was still open. He booked a vehicle and made sure he had the correct address for the cabbie.

The note and the room key were left in an envelope for Denise on the nightstand in her and Lucy’s room, set against the lamp and on top of the book she was reading. Later, she would roll her eyes upon reading their words, but a smile would betray the exasperation she didn’t quite feel. “Good for them,” she said softly to herself.


	3. Chapter 3

An hour later, they were on the highway headed north and away from the city. Traffic was comparatively light at this point in the late evening. It was almost midnight. Flynn weaved around those vehicles which he deemed were moving too slow. Lucy gave him side eye, but said nothing. He glanced at her and grinned upon seeing the bemused look she wore. The silence was calming in light of everything that had happened that day.

Eventually, Lucy leaned over and switched on the radio. She hopped from station to station until the early strains of a familiar song came through the speakers. “Oh hey. It’s our song, babe.”

lovelytheband’s “Broken” filled the SUV. Lucy sang along, with Flynn joining when the chorus kicked in. He loved she considered this their song — even if it was partially in jest — and even more that she called him “babe.” She said it so easily; it just rolled off her tongue. Already she was making herself at home as his girlfriend and he found that incredibly sexy.

Lucy placed her left hand on his right bicep as she sang-along and looked out the passenger window. She could now admit she had wanted this for so long: to be with him in every way. The nickname flew out before she could think. This made her happier than she has ever felt. She loved how he didn’t comment, just accepted it. Her hand would be on this thigh now if not for the console separating them. _Just as well_ , she thought. _Wouldn’t want to create too much of a distraction._

It wasn’t long before they were out of the city. After another hour, they picked an exit that sounded promising and found themselves cruising through one town after another. Flynn opened the moon roof. Lucy looked at him with a huge smile on her face. 

“Pull over,” she said about ten miles later. There was a wide shoulder on the right and no other car had been seen for miles.

He did as she instructed. Once the vehicle was in park, she jumped out. He shut off the ignition and followed suit. 

“Think you can get yourself up here?” she asked, nodding at the hood of the SUV.

Flynn considered it for a second. “Yeah. Can you?”

“Probably. With your help.” She said it as a challenge.

He took it as one. “Go on then.”

She put both hands on the hood and started to lift herself when she stopped, quickly taking her hands off the SUV.

“Problem?” Flynn asked innocently.

“Okay okay. I didn’t think it through.” The hood was hot from the drive. _So much for romance_ , she thought.

He took her hands in his and kissed each of her palms. “It was a lovely thought,” he said, gazing fondly at her.

“You’re a lovely thought,” she said sincerely. Her eyes began to well up; furiously blinking them away did not help.

“Lucy….”

She took one of her hands out of his and wiped the water from her face. “I’m fine. It’s fine.” She sniffed. “I think it’s just hitting me that this is real. I have you. You’re mine.”

“We belong to each other.” He took her hand again, holding it in his empty one. Leaning in, he kissed away her tears. When he pulled back, he was producing a few his own.

“Garcia….” This time she removed both of her hands from his and put them to his face, her thumbs drying the wet spots.

“‘I like that you’re lonely; lonely like me. I can be lonely with you,’” he said softly.

The corner of her mouth quirked ever so slightly. “Is that you or the song?”

“Both.” He pressed their foreheads together as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

“We came for the stars and only have eyes for each other,” Lucy observed. “We suck.”

They both laughed and then looked up. The clouds had since parted leaving behind a clear sky with dots of light sprinkled across.

“All the time periods we’ve visited and I don’t think I ever really took advantage of the simple beauty of a star-pocked nighttime sky,” Flynn said. “Such a waste on my part.”

“The whole life-or-death of it all may have factored into it,” Lucy replied, returning her gaze to him. “We’re all guilty of forgetting to stop and take a breath. Perhaps it’s why you and I feel so lonely. We’re so busy rushing off to the next potential disaster that even when we make a tentative connection, it feels like more of a missed opportunity. Then we’re left pondering what will never be.”

“We were both a tentative connection and a missed opportunity,” he said, lowering his eyes so they rested on her. “Always walking the line, but never choosing a side. All that time in purgatory made us both very lonely. Even when I felt us growing closer, your hesitation just ingrained the isolation. Walking away was never an option. I couldn’t live with you and I sure as hell wasn’t living without you.”

“I’m so sorry.” Her heart felt heavy. The shame of how she made him feel for all those months (longer?) forced her to bury her face in his chest. Soon she was soaking his coat as the tears returned in force. 

Her sobs made his heart clench. This was not the reaction he wanted, but really what other reaction was she expected to have? He just told the love of his life she broke his heart with her hesitation and regardless, he never would have left her. She was shaking in his arms; her sobs growing louder. He kissed the top of her head as he rubbed circles on her back.

“Lucy, I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to hurt you, my love.” He was at a loss for words. 

After a few minutes, she collected herself. She stepped back out of his arms and ran her hands over her face. Then she went to the passenger side, opened the door and rooted through her purse till she pulled out a small package of tissues. She blew her nose a few times and dried the rest of her tears. Stuffing all the tissues back into her purse, she shut the car door and walked back to Flynn.

“First of all, I’m sorry. I know I said that already, but once wasn’t enough.” She held up a hand, seeing Flynn was about to speak. “Let me get this out.”

He nodded.

“I wasn’t stringing you along. I have genuinely liked you for awhile — longer than perhaps was appropriate considering the volatile nature of our relationship way back when. The more I got to know you, the more confused I was — or thought I was. Then, slowly, things became clearer to me, more concrete. I knew who you were, what you stood for. I knew I could trust you implicitly. My instincts were right. I just needed to get out of my own way. Eventually, I did. Yeah, I continued to stumble over my own feet for a bit, but that, too, passed.

“I would never intentionally hurt you, Garcia. The fact that I unwittingly caused you so much pain kills me. I’m sorry it took me so long to work out how I feel about you. I’m sorry I nearly took you down with me. You were by my side every step of the way on my journey to you. You, who trusted me enough to find my way to you. 

“I hope like hell I was worth the wait _because you definitely were_ ,” she concluded, her voice trembling. Her eyes shined, but no tears fell.

“You were _absolutely_ worth the wait, and I would do it all again tomorrow if it meant I still got the chance to love you. I wasn’t complaining, Lucy. I was just being honest. That’s what I have always been with you and will continue to be.”

She nodded exuberantly. “It’s one of the many things I love about you.”

He cast his eyes downward for a moment before meeting hers. “I’m sorry for acting like a spoiled child today. I shouldn’t begrudge you or your friends a good time in an amazing city—”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“After you saved Callie and in the hotel room and at the party….” Was his behavior really not as bad as he thought?

“Babe. I was there with you. I love those guys, I do, but _ohmigod_ I just wanted to spend the rest of the day with you — _alone_. It’s just like I said on the roof.” Lucy put her hands on his chest. “We’re good. Just try not to get lost in that head of yours.”

Flynn chuckled. “Okay then.” He grinned. “Five by five.”

She smacked his chest. “ _I knew you liked those Buffy episodes we watched!_ Of course you’re a Faith, it makes total sense.” Her smile was as wide as her heart felt large.

He placed a hand on the hood of the SUV. “Take two?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Give me a lift?” 

She placed her arms on his shoulders and he happily put his hands around her waist, depositing her safely onto the hood. Once he was sitting next to her, she scooted her butt back near the windshield and reclined against the laminated glass, her hands folded on her stomach. He followed suit, reclining with his left arm tucked behind his head and his other by his side. They gazed up at the sky, soaking in the beautiful view. 

“Come here,” Flynn said as he raised his right arm, a beatific expression on his face.

“I wondered when you were going to ask,” Lucy said with a grin. She sidled next to him, resting her head and her right arm on his chest as he wrapped his own right arm round her shoulders. “How long do you think we have?”

“A few days probably. Wyatt won’t like that we’re gone and what that means, but he’ll be outnumbered.”

“I can work with a few days. We’ll need to find a motel room … and a grocery store for supplies.”

“How creative are we talking?”

Lucy bit her lip. “We’ll stick with the basics at first and see what happens.” She tilted her head back and chanced a glance at Flynn, who was eyeing her with an amused expression.

“Don’t give me that doe-eyed Bambi look, Preston. There isn’t _that much_ innocent about you these days.”

She opened her mouth, but closed it instantly. He wasn’t wrong. “Says the man who corrupted me.”

“Watch the stars, Lucy.” Flynn stroked her hair. “They’re putting on quite the show tonight.”

Lucy kept her eyes on him for a moment longer before putting her head back on his chest and gazing up. As she did, a now-familiar song played inside her brain.

Best earworm ever.


End file.
